The Self Portrait Gospel :: Podcast – Details, episodes & analysis

From Harlem to the holy land of music majesty, Chris Stein is a household name when it comes to being one of the founding members of one of the most infleuntial bands of the last 21st century, Blondie, but did you know he is also a world renowned photographer and writer? Stein captured some of the most iconic figures and their historical situations of the last century, from William S. Burroughs, The NYC punk/new wave scene, his longtime friend and bandmate, Debbie Harry, Andy Warhol, as well as a day in the life of a New Yorker during its monumental era in the 1970s.

With a new memior entitled, "Under A Rock" and new Blondie material on the forseeable horizon, we had the blessing of speaking to Stein about his love for all things music, art, film/photography, comedy, and above all, the creative cultures throughout histroy. His book is both radically revealing, incredibly moving and detailed, as it teleports its readers to an undeniably special and viseral time and place in history for the ones who were there and don't remember all too well, to the ones that were yet to be born. 

Born and raised in Kansas City, Lowe was first hit by music with an introdiction to The Bad Brains in the mid to late 80s. From there, the young musician played in such groups like Secular Theme, 90 Day Men and later OM before fully immersing himself in the world of sound and music with his outstanding career as a solo musician. Releasing a wide range of albums that transcend countless genres and atmospheres of philosophy, Lowe eventually branched into composing music for films like Candyman, Grasshopper Republic, Netflix's Power and most recently Nadia Latif's new film entitled "The Man In My Basement". Special dude, special conversation. Enjoy!

On this episode of the Self Portrait Gospel Podcast we speak to frontman and guitarist Martin Courtney of New Jersey based group Real Estate about growing up outside of NYC, seeing bands for the first time in the city, The Beatles, meeting long time friend and bandmate Alex Beeker, forming Real Estate in the mid 2000's, connecting with the Woodsist folks for the band's debut LP, signing with Domino Records, group's most recent effort entitled "Daniel" and much more. Enjoy! 

Born and raised in the countryside of Ohio, Nashville, TN based musician and visual artist Michael Ruth (Rich Ruth) saught creative refuge in a more music driven community with like minded people as his horizons began to expand. Eventually coming into his own as a musician, Ruth connected with locals such as Spencer Cullum Jr. and the folks over at Third Man Records and since been on journey that only just begun. His most recent album entitled "Water Still Flows" is an exploratory narrative driven by poetic textures and atmospheric rythms and in Ruth's own words is his 'greatest effort yet'. Enjoy!

On this very special episode of the podcast we speak to Buoy about his youth growing up in various locations around the east coast in a milirary family, begining his music journey through wind-instruments before connecting to percussions, his love and early influence of hip-hop, punk and jazz, eventually meeting longtime friend and bandmate Seth Olinsky, forming Akron/Family, meeting the great Michael Gira of Swans/Young God Records and joining him for the Angels of Light, life after A/K, a career as a solo musician, the harsh reality of where music may, or may not be heading and much more. Enjoy!

An absoutle cherished gem in both the music world and the articulated documentation of the creative human process, Chasny is one of the greats of our generation and a sincere force of nature to be cherished for all of time. On this very special episode of the podcast we explore Chasny's youth growing up in Northern California listening to metal music, being first introduced to the guitar and his unique scholar approach to the instrument, becoming interested in more underground music such as Sun City Girls, influences from the east coast and their growing appreciation of his style of music, touring with the late Jack Rose in the early days of Six Organs of Admittance, albums such as "Asleep on the Floodplains", "Hexadic - Triology", "Burning the Threshold" and his most recent effort on Drag City entitled "Time is Glass".

On this special episode of The Self Portrait Gospel :: Podcast we explore the songwriter's daredevil youth, the influence of the ocean and the surrounding elements, how he got into playing music and sonwriting, the constant fountain of songs and material that flow from his unique mind, meeting longtime friend and creative partner Kyle Field of Little Wings, recording the amazing trilogiy: "Just a Minute", "Anyway" and "Echo Me On" and much more. Enjoy!

Making an epic return with her most distinctive effort to date, Timony followed up her long awaited LP "Ex Hex" with "Untame the Tiger" on Merge Records and is ready to share this one with the world. On this episode we explore the musician's youth growing up during the influential punk scene in WA, her relocation to Boston to find herself both personally as well as creatively, forming the incredible group Helium, becoming a solo artist, eventually moving back home, her process of writing and recording "Untame the Tiger" and much more. Enjoy!

Born and raised in Michigan, the now North Carolina based musician joins us to talk about her childhood growing up with her older siblings, relocating to Philly where she participated in an experimental outfit influenced by the likes of Sun City Girls, the Long Hots trio, releasing her 2016 debut "Out of Love", her groundbreaking LP "Trouble Anyway", the pandemic and its effects on creatives, her 2021 follow up "No Medium", sharing space with heros MBV and J Mascis and her most recent effort "Bite Down" on Merge Records. Enjoy!

Boston legend Rick Maguire has been writing and recording music under PILE for nearly two decades now. With the projects '07 debut entitled "Demonstrated" initiating Maguire's distinctive career, the musician has gone on to to release an outstanding body of work with titles such as "Dripping", "Magic Isn't Real", "A Hairshirt of Purpose", "Green and Gray" and 2024's "Hot Air Balloon - EP". On this episode of the podcast we explore Maguire's youth and how he got into music, Weezer's "Blue Album", recording PILE's groundbreaking "Dripping" on Exploding in Sound, touring with the band as well as solo, Nashville and back to Boston, Covid, 2024's plans and much more.